Electric switch.



0. LL KLEIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION fIL E-D JAN.'Z8, 1914 LIZ YIYFQ. Patanted F8119, 1915.

amwdbr 'hmlimcnt thereof in the UNWE erase m CHARLES J. KLEIN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC swrrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Application filed January 28, 1914. Serial No. 815,047.

cise. and exact descriptiiiin, reference being had to the accompanymg drawing, forming a part oi this specification.

This inxcntion relates to electric switches. One of the dbjects oi? the invention is to provide a simple and 'cllicient electric snap switch which cheap to manufacture and which is readily adapted for use in a variet v of Forms of switch devices.

Further obieets and advantages will ap-,-

pear hereinafter.

in order to disclose my invention more clearly I have illustrated a preferred em accompanving drawing. l or illustrative purposes I have shown the switch movement as incorporated in a surface switch device. It is tobe un derstood. however, that the invention is susceptible of additional embodiments and that the liar-.eihent ma v be employed in devices other than that shown. 4

In the drawing, Figure l a side elevation. of a switch mechanism; Fig. '2 is a lmzgz ituilinal cross section of the same apr-lied to a surface switch device: Fi 3 is a.

top plan view of the same; and. Fig. l is an end view thereof. 7

The switch mechan sm shown comprises, in general, a reciprocable operating member 1. a pivoted contact member 2. and an enwhereby a snap movement is imparted to the latter upon recig'irocat-ion of the former.

Referring more specificall to Fig. l', the operating member comprises a U-shaped plate 3 luivii'ig push-buttons fixed at right angles to the opposite uprights. The base of the plate 3 mounted to slide over a stationary frame 5 fixed to-a suitables itch base. An open barrel. 6 is carried 'bv the plate'ffv and loosely incloses a coil spring '3 which latter supports a steel ball 8, or other suitable roller.

site sides in the direction of reciprocation of the operating member.

The stationary frame 5 is provided with an. inte 'ral arm 9 bent upright at one side of the barrel 6 and terminating in a down storing connection between the two I .The. free extremity oi the barrel .5 is longitudinally slotted at oppowardly bent convex cam 10 above the barrel. The contact is pivotally secured to the arm 9 by a pin 11 and is preferably of such length below its axis as to lie slightly the peak of the cam 10. The free oxti of the contact is adapted to bridge ary resilient contacts 12' mounted on the switch base. T he cam 10 and lower extrem ity of the contact 2 are disposed to lie within the slot of the barrel so that the lattermay freely pass across the same.

The cam surface ot the arm 9 engages the spring pressed ball 8 and retains the latter within the barrel.

The arrangement of the." parts described is such that movement of the operating member 1 carries the ball 8 over the. stationary cam 10 toimpart pressure to the opposite side of the contact 2, which thereupon changes its position with a snap movement.

The switch mechanism is shown in Fi m .5

as mounted upon a suitable insulating 13 havine'a recess within which theoperating plate reciprocates and to the bottom of which is fixed the stationary frame 5 by means of screws l-l. Two resilient contact members 12 are secured to the base bv screws 15 at opposite sides of the switch operating member and at one end of the base. These stationary contacts are pro vided with contact surfaces 16 at one tremity and binding postsl'? at their other extremities. Openings 18 are provided in the base on opposite sides of the same ad-- jacent the bidding posts for the reception of line wires entering the device for connection to the switch terminals.

Assuming the switch. to be in the on position shown in Fig. 1, pressure on the left push-button works as follows: The operating member l'is moved to the right, thereby carrying the spring-pressed ball toward the apex of the peaked cam 10. As the ball passes this apex the same tends to ride rapidly down the opposite cam face thereby imparting a hammer blow and snap movement to the contact which "is oscilliited to oil position. It will be observed that the spring-pressed ball 8 'acts to retain both the switch operating member and the contact member in extreme.positions. l i'rthe form shown, the. ends of the frame 5 are bent so as to engage. and to limit the moven' ent of the operating member. ilith the switch in ct? posith' n pressure on the right push-button operates to reverse the I position of the contact in a manner similar to that described.

A metallic cover 19 is provided to rest upon the walls of the switch base and house the switch mechanism. A suitable insulating lining 20 is, of course, provided for the cover.

The mechanism described comprises few parts which are cheap to manufacture and which may be easily assembled. Further more, the mechanism is of sturdy and compact construction which is eflicient in service and not likely to get out of order. The relation of the parts and their mounting upon the insulating base is such that the line terminals and the movable parts of the switch mechanism are completely and easily accessible by removal of the metallic cover 19. Furthermore. by projecting the peak of the cam 10 slightly beyond the flat extremity f the contact 3 the spring-pressed ball moves completely over the peak of the cam before engaging the extremity of the contact and-consequently imparts a hammer blow to the latter to actuate the same.

il hat 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch, in combination, an operating men'iber, a spring-pressed device movable therewith and restrained against lateral movement relative thereto, a pivotally mounted contact having port-ions on opposite sides of its axis to be engaged by said device; and a member having an unyielding convex cam with inclined surfaces on opposite sides of the axis of said contact and engaged by said springprcssed device.

2. In an electric switch. in combination, a reciprocatingoperating member having a springpressed device movable therewith. a stationary member having a convex cam surface engaged by said device and a pivotally mounted contact having a portion at each side of thopcak ol said cam to be engaged by said device.

In an electric switch, in combination, a reciprocable operating member. a spring; pressed device movable therewith and restrained again t lateral movement relative thereto, a stationai v member having a convex cam surfac.= engaged by said device. and a pivotally maintel contact having portions at opposite Sides, of its axis to be engaged by said device after the same has passed the peak of said cam.

4. In an electric switch, in combination, an operating men'iher having a springpressed device movable therewith, a stationary member having a convex can surface engaged by said device, and a Contact piroted to said member and having portions at opposite sides of its axis to be engaged by said device with a hammer blow after the latter has passed the peak of said cam.

5. In .an electric switch, in combination, a reciprocable operating member having a springpressed device movable therewith a stationary member having a convex cam surface engaged by said de ice and a contact pivoted .to said member and having portions at opposite sides of its axis to be engaged by said device, the peak of said cam projecting beyond the engaged portions of said contact.

6. In an electric switch, in coi'nbination. a reciprocable operating member, an open ended barrel carried thereby, a spring pressed ball carr edwithin said barrel. a'stationarymember having anunyielding convex cam engaged by said ball, and a pivotallv mounted contact having portions at opposite sides of its axis to be engaged by said ball after the same has passed over the peak of said convex cam.

7. In an electric switch, in combination. a stationary frame having a convexcannan operating member reciprocable across said frame and carrying a spring-pressed device engaging said cam, and a contact pimtcd to said frame adjacent said cam and having portions on opposite sides of its axis to be engaged by said device.

8. In an electric switch, in combination. a base, a member fixed thereto and having a convex cam surface spaced therefron'i. reciprocable operating means movable across said base and having a spring-pressed device engaging said cam surface, and a contact pivotally mounted on said member adjacent said cam and having portions on opposite sides of its axis to be engaged by said device witha hammer blow after the same has passed the peak oi" said/cam.

In anelectric switch, in combination, an insulating base having a recess, a'statiouary franie fixed to the bottom wall of said recess and having an integral arm with a convex cam surface, a reciprocable operating member movable across said base and limited in its moven'ient by engagement with the ends oi Said frame, a springpressed device carried by said operating member and engaging said cam surface, a contact pivotally mounted on said frame arm adjacent said cam andhaving portions on opposite sides of its axis to b6 engaged by said device after the same has passed the peakof said cam. and fa pair of stationary contacts mounted on said ncsses.-

- CHARLES J. KLEIN. jWitnesses L r S. F. Warson, TEHLA Bass. 

